


no glory in the west

by liebstes



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cowboy AU, Fluff, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:00:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26693362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liebstes/pseuds/liebstes
Summary: Zuko runs the ranch he inherited from Uncle alone, until a mysterious stranger comes along searching for work. Little do they know, they're getting more than they bargained for.---------------------------Basically Cowboy AU!
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	no glory in the west

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for clicking!! this is my first attempt at a multi-chaptered fic so hang in there for me!! also gotta give big creds to the user on here jairoglyphs for inspiring me with their amazing cowboy AU!! go check them out!!
> 
> also title is from an orville peck song!

The damn barn had a hole in the ceiling. Spirits know what caused it, all Zuko knows is that the pouring rain ain’t gonna stop for no damn hole. A good few feet of the barn floor was soaked, mixed with wet hay and dirt. Not the ideal way to start his morning. 

He decided he could not deal with this ‘til he had his morning tea and breakfast, so he solemnly left the barn and tried not to let his mood worsen. At least none of the horses got wet; that would’ve been a whole other ordeal.

He shuffled inside the main house, shrugged off his raincoat and boots, and started settin’ up the fire to let the water boil. He was almost out of tea, meaning he’d have to make the trek to town within the week. Hey, at least he could pay a visit to Mai and Ty Lee then. They almost rung his neck the last time he visited for not comin’ enough. 

He finished making his drink and reheating some potatoes, wool socks making muffled noise against the floor, and rain hittin’ the windows like no tomorrow. Zuko went over the days’ checklist in his head. 

_Find some way to fix the damn hole, clean up the mess of mud and hay, check the chickens for any eggs, and repair the fence that got damaged over to the west side of the property._

After cleaning his plate, Zuko put the soaked boots and jacket back on, before remembering to bring a hat and headed out. He’d have to get the ladder to climb onto the barn, and if he was lucky, he’d have enough material to patch it up. 

Before he could go ‘round back to get the ladder, he saw a dark horse comin’ up in the distance. With someone riding it. 

Zuko racked his brain. Was he due for a visit from someone? Wasn’t no one’s birthday, he knew that. He lived isolated enough that the only visitors he got were his friends or Uncle, years ago. Unless someone was lookin’ for trouble. 

His hand tightened around the holster on his hip as the figure got closer. He hadn’t had a visit from his father or his… acquaintances in years after Ozai finally got thrown in jail. 

As he came closer, Zuko could see the man was soaked. He had dark brown skin, lookin’ to be a mix of genetics and sun-tan, with only flannel and thin jacket covering him, with not even a hat. His hair seemed to be pulled back behind his head but was so wet he could barely tell. 

He kept his gaze stern, not about to let a stranger cause trouble on an already shit day. 

The stranger slid off his horse once he got about six feet from Zuko, patting the side of its neck as if apologizing. 

“Hi there. Zuko, is it?” the stranger asked, almost indecipherable behind the beating rain. He looked vaguely like a wet puppy, only a lot bigger and more sorry for itself. 

“Yeah. You got business here?” Zuko replied, gruffly. It seemed to make the man more nervous, he started thumbing his belt with his hands and avoidin’ eye contact.

“Yeah, hopefully. Ran into two folks named Ty Lee and Mai in town. I’m lookin’ for work and they suggested here,” he said. 

“Huh. Wonder why they’d say that,” Zuko replied, drily. 

_Damnit._ He knew this was Ty Lee’s idea. She was always goin’ on about how lonely Zuko must be, living alone. After Mai had moved out to be closer with her girlfriend, they had both become worried Zuko would become a hermit. He always tried to convince ‘em he’s fine, but as the years went on, they wouldn’t budge. 

“I can piss off if you don’t need no help. But I can do lots. Grew up on a ranch myself, but left ‘bout a year ago. You probably wouldn’t have to teach me anything. I’m real handy,” the guy said, making a plea for his case. 

It shouldn’t have, but the last sentence made Zuko flush. It’s been so long since he’d been around any men his age, other than the few assholes he would encounter in town. Didn’t help that the stranger wasn’t so sore on the eyes. 

He dismissed that. The man wanted to work, not be assaulted by Zuko. 

“Alright. But if you try anythin’ funny, you’re out. I’m only lettin’ you stay cus Mai and Ty Lee sent you.”

The stranger grinned wide, despite being dripping wet and lookin’ like he could fall over any second. 

“Thank you very much, sir. Name’s Sokka. I’ll do anything you need as long as it gets me a bed and a meal at the end of the night.” Zuko only grew redder at the formality. No one ever called him sir, that was his father’s whole schtick. 

“No need for that ‘sir’ business. I’m Zuko. We’re gonna be workin’ as equals so you’ll be treated as equal. Now, if you don’t need food or nothin’, I got a hole in my barn roof that needs fixin’. You can go put your horse away and meet me there.” 

Sokka nodded quickly. “I already ate si-Zuko. I’ll go put Hawky away and meet you there.”

 _Hawky?_ Zuko laughed inwardly at the horse’s name. Whatever. Ty Lee and Mai must’ve seen somethin’ in this man to send him all this way. Zuko hoped it was something other than ‘he’s hot and Zuko is lonely’. 

True to his word, Sokka met Zuko at the barn a few minutes later. He already had the ladder set up, a pile of materials in a cloth sack, and a hammer and nails. 

“Alright. You hold her steady ‘til I get up there, then pass me the stuff when I’m ready,” Zuko said.

“You sure you don’t want me goin’ up there? Wouldn’t be good if you slid right off it due to the rain.”

Zuko raised his eyebrows at that. “But it’d be fine if you slipped off?”

Sokka just shrugged in response. 

That worried him, but was a problem for another time. “It’ll be fine, I’ve been up there in these conditions before,” He said as he started up the ladder. “Pass me the hammer and nails first, then the shingles after.”

They worked silently but with purpose. Zuko would gesture for another piece of material while holdin’ the hammer in his mouth, and Sokka would quickly pass it. Soon enough, the hole was covered and Zuko climbed on down. 

They checked the inside and the leak was gone, which left them with a pile of mud and hay in the center of the floor. Zuko sighed. 

“Right. There’s a bucket and broom in the shed out back. If you go get those we can try to push this mess outta here.” 

They once again worked quietly, both scrunching up their faces at the texture and sound of the mess as they pushed it out the barn and cleaned the floor. 

As they finished, Zuko arched his back, unsuccessfully trying to get the kink out, and popped his knuckles. “That’s enough work for now. Let’s head back to the house and warm up before goin’ out again,” he said. 

Sokka nodded in agreement. 

“You always gonna be this silent? Or you don’t like me already?” Zuko asked jokingly, poking Sokka with his elbow as the walked back. The other man seemed to flush and rubbed his neck.

“Aw, sorry about that. Just not used to being ‘round people again, I guess.”

That piqued Zuko’s interest. “You been alone for a while?” He asked. He could relate. 

“Yeah, of sorts. I left home cus my sister and her husband had everything handled, so I’ve just been wandering around, doin’ odd jobs and such to kill time. Don’t really know what my next step is.” 

Zuko nodded. “Y’know, my Uncle used to say, a wandering soul is just one searchin’ to learn who they are, on their own journey,” He winced as he heard himself. He’s sure Uncle said it much better. “Or, something like that.”

Sokka chuckled, deep and throaty. Zuko could get used to hearing it again. 

“Yeah, guess that’s true. He sounds wise.”

Zuko grinned. “He was.” 

They got back to the house, and Zuko’s entryway was the most cluttered it’d been in a while with both their muddy shoes and jackets. He reminded himself to give a spare hat to Sokka next time.

Sokka seemed to stand awkwardly in between the door and the kitchen, unsure what to do with himself. 

“You want some tea? I got a lil’ bit of black left, or some coffee if you prefer.”

“Naw, I’m all good. If it’s the same to you, I’d like to just lie down for a bit before the next job,” Sokka said, making Zuko realize how tired he really looked. It had been hard to see in the rain, but the bags underneath his eyes were visible, his eyes not fully open. 

“Of course. I’ll show you your room. It’s pretty bare, the last person who lived here took most of their stuff with ‘em,” he said, thinking fondly of his time with Mai. They had worked well together, but he understood why she left. 

“No worries. As long as there’s a bed, I’m happy,” Sokka said, and seemed to mean it. 

After he got Sokka settled in, Zuko went back to make some tea and half a sandwich, saving the other half for Sokka. Under the light of the lamps, the man looked more skinny than he originally thought. 

He wondered where he had come from. He knew all the nearby towns and the locals and had never seen Sokka before. He’s sure he would’ve remembered, too. He seemed alright so far, if not a little quiet, and that was usually Zuko’s role. 

He let his mind wander as he sat in the living room, staring at the small fire he had goin’. They should probably fix the fence next, but he was thinking about waiting for better weather. It’s not like the cattle are moving ‘round much right now. They could just do the chickens and call it a day, he guessed. Maybe polish his saddles if they got bored. 

It was past noon, so Zuko decided there was time for him to nap too. He stretched out on the couch and threw on the thick blanket that had belonged to Uncle, quickly falling asleep thanks to the sound of the rain. 

Zuko opened his eyes blearily. The blanket had slipped almost entirely off him, and he shivered in the cold air. The fire was much smaller now and not quite doin’ its job. 

_Fuck,_ he thought. _What time was it?_ The sun wasn’t down yet, but it was definitely later than he wanted to wake up. He hoped Sokka hadn’t woken up before him. 

He went to Sokka’s room to go get the eggs with him, but the sight he saw stopped him at the doorway. It looked like he fell asleep as soon as he laid down; he wasn’t even under the covers. Sokka had curled onto his side, surely cold with no coverings, and he looked absolutely peaceful. His face had smoothed out, his eyebrows unfurrowed, with his mouth slightly open. He looked so much more human, more real. 

Zuko tugged the spare blanket over his body. He could go gather eggs on his own, he thought.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! i love all comments and kudos, so please let me know how it was!! are you liking this AU? what do you want to see next? i know there wasn't much romance in this chapter but i promise its coming!!


End file.
